Thieves Return One Of 3 Stolen van Goghs

AP

Published: April 18, 1989

OTTERLO, the Netherlands, April 17—
Thieves have returned one of three Vincent van Gogh paintings stolen from the Kroller-Muller National Museum in December in hope of getting a $2.5 million ransom, the police here said today.

No ransom was paid for the painting, ''Weaver's Interior,'' which was recovered unharmed April 6 from the trunk of a car parked near the home of the museum's director, said a police spokesman, Theo Reus.

The return of the painting and dealings with the thieves were secret, but the police decided to publicize the events today because a newspaper learned of the negotiations, Mr. Reus said.

The thieves returned ''Weaver's Interior'' to prove they had the other stolen works, ''Dried Sunflowers'' and an early version of ''The Potato Eaters,'' he said. He said that the whereabouts of the paintings were unknown and that no ransom had been paid for them.

The total value of the three works is $100 million to $125 million. Art experts and the police have have said it would be nearly impossible to sell the paintings because they are so well known.